• The coin will enter circulation through banks and shops from today
• One million of the coins have been minted
• There will be 12,000 two-euro coin cards, which will sell for 10 euros
• The coins and coin cards are on sale in the Omniva online shop from 12.00 today
• The coins will not be sold in the shop of the museum of Eesti Pank or in post offices

The new two-euro coin with the special design is dedicated to the Finno-Ugric peoples*. The design of the coin features the stone age cave drawings from Äänisjärv showing the sun, the elk, the hunter and the water bird. The cave drawings of Äänisjärve appear on the UNESCO list of world heritage. The coin was designed by Al Paldrok and Madis Põldsaar.

The two-euro commemorative coins with the special design are valid as legal tender throughout the euro area. They will enter circulation through banks and shops from today, 16 June.

A total of one million coins have been minted, of which 12,000 are BU (brilliant uncirculated) quality and are sold on a coin card. The coins were minted by the Lithuanian mint.

Governor of Eesti Pank Madis Müller is presenting the coin today at the VIII World Congress of the Finno-Ugric peoples in the Estonian National Museum in Tartu. More on the congress.

* The ancestors of the Finno-Ugric peoples came originally from the area of the Ural mountains. Three Finno-Ugric peoples have national independence, the Estonians, the Finns and the Hungarians. The European Union is also the ancient home of several other smaller tribes like the Sami and the Livonians. Some twenty Finno-Ugric nations live in Russia.

Sales of the coin

• Coins and coin cards are on sale in the Omniva online shop from 12.00 today.
• The coins can be purchased individually or in rolls. A roll contains 25 coins. Orders in sets of 25 coins will be delivered in rolls.
• Up to five coin cards and 20 rolls of coins can be bought in one purchase.
• The coins will not be sold in the shop of the museum of Eesti Pank or in post offices.
• The Omniva customer service can be contacted by telephone on 661 6616 or by email at epood@omniva.ee on working days from 09.00-20.00, and at weekends and on national holidays from 09.00–15.00.

The designers of the coin

The winning author Al Paldrok copied the symbols from the cave when he went there on a scientific expedition in 1984. Paldrok graduated in sculpture from the Estonian Academy of Arts and has also studied at the art academies of Helsinki and Oslo. He is a founder of the conceptual art school Academia Non Grata and a leading figure in the global Non Grata art group.

Madis Põldsaar has worked for more than 10 years as a graphic designer specialising in logos representing business values and personal qualities and producing brand identity systems. He now works in the same role as a graphic designer for the international service design and branding agency Brand Manual.

What are collector coins and commemorative coins?

Commemorative coins are two-euro coins that are released into circulation, and that have a special commemorative design on the national side in place of the usual national design to commemorate a particular significant national or European event or topic. The coins are all legal tender throughout the euro area, so they can be used for payments like any other euro coin.

Collector coins are mostly made of precious metals and commemorate important events or people for the issuing country. Collector coins are only legal tender in the country of issue. They are not intended for circulation, but rather for collecting or as gifts, and their selling price usually exceeds their nominal value.

Additional information:
Ingrid Schmuul
Communications Specialist
Eesti Pank
Tel: 668 0965, 5697 9146
Press enquiries: press@eestipank.ee